1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fishing lures and more particularly to an improved noise making device for use with line retrieval type fishing lures which device is removable so that it can be quickly moved from one lure to the next by attaching to elongated wire-like portions of the lure such as the hook, monofilament or other type leader, monofilament line or the like.
2. General Background
Fisherman have for years used noise making devices as part of an artificial lure. Typically these devices include a hollow container having a plurality of small metallic rattles inside. When the lure is worked using a rod and reel for line retrieval, the rattles move about in their container creating a rattling or clicking sound which mimics the action of natural prey such as an insect, small frog, bait fish, or the like. This rattling noise attracts the fish to the artificial lure in situations where the fish might not actually see the lure. Various devices have been patented which relate generally to the concept of rattles or rattle-like members contained within an artificial lure. An example is the Nardi Pat. 2,488,678 entitled "Fish Lure" which includes a body that mimics the size and shape of a small fish and to which is attached a line for retrieval by means of rod and reel. The interior of the body is hollow having a plurality of small rounded elements which could arguably function as a rattle or rattle-like member. The Nardi patent is designed to attract fish by means of air bubbles emitted from the lure while being pulled through the water, also by means of movable elements within the body of the lure.
Another patent that includes a hollow body in the form of a bait fish is seen in the Shotton patent 2,741,864 entitled "Casting Float and Bait Plug". In Shotton, an elongated cylindrical passage way allows the line to be threaded through the center of the bait plug so that a treble hook or single hook can be attached to the fishing line at one side of the bait plug with a leading edge of the line extending from the other or forward section of the bait plug. The plug is hollow, having an internal chamber with a plurality of small metallic balls contained within the interior of the container. The small metallic balls are adapted to hit against the interior of the container and against a weighted mass inside the container to create noises that will reverberate because of the hollow construction of the container and which noises can allegedly be heard by fish at substantial distances through the water.
A rattle sound is produced in a fishing lure in U.S. Pat. 3,848,353 issued to Bingham McClellan entitled "Rattle Sounder For Fishing Lures". The McClellan device includes a hollow shell of bullet shaped external contour with an integral cylindrical tube extending therethrough. The interior of the shell has a small spherical shot loosely disposed therein to rattle when shaken. The shell can be mounted alternatively around a wire of a safety pin type lure and hook assembly or around a leader above a hook. It may also be mounted around a rubber band stretched between the eye of the lure assembly and the barb of the hook on the assembly. A small plate has one hole for connection to the rubber band and another hole for engagement with the hook barb in the latter instance. A modification places nut-like hexagonal slugs in a cavity in a housing with an axial hole through the housing to pass a line or lure wire through the housing slugs.
In U.S. Pat. 3,908298 entitled "Fishing Lure", there is provided a fishing lure having a generally conical shaped body with a fishing line conduit passing through the body to allow the lure to move freely up and down the fishing line, the radii of the outer shell of the lure decreases in size from the rear of the shell toward the forward end of the shell to streamline the lure for movement through the water. The body of the lure has a generally cup shaped rear portion to protect bait on a hook attached to the distal end of the fishing line passing through the body of the lure. A sound chamber is included in the body of the lure and produces sound when at least one weight in the chamber moves against the body of the lure. Contained within a preferred embodiment of the lure is a generally cone shaped weight with a small end that may protrude through the line opening in the forward end of the body to separate weeds and moss.
A noise making device for use with a fishing lure or bait to enhance its attractiveness to fish is the subject of the Plew U.S. Pat. No. 3,935,660 and entitled "Noisemaking Device for Use With Fishing Lure Or Bait and Method of Making Same". The Plew patent includes a container formed of two flanged deep cups held together by a length of heat-shrinkable tubing and loosely containing one or more metal objects or balls. The device may be molded into an artificial lure or may be attached directly to a fish hook or wire harness for use with an artificial lure or live bait.
A noise making slip sinker is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 4,008,539 issued to Jeffrey Gardner entitled "Noise Making Slip Sinkker". The device includes a shell having a distal end which is open and a proximal end with an aperture therein. A guide plug is sealingly received within the distal end of the shell and has an elongated portion extending to and sealingly received by the proximal end of the shell. The guide plug has a passageway which extends the length of the guide plug from the aperture into the proximal end of the shell to a point located outside of the distal end of the shell, and at least one rigid ball is contained within the space between the guide portion of the guide plug and the interior wall of the shell.
An artificial bait device or lure with a noise making device is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,910 entitled "Artificial Bait Device".
A life like fishing lure with a hollow body in the shape of a bait fish having noise making devices inside is disclosed in the Schellenberg U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,793.
Another artificial lure with a noise making capability is the Bates U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,781 entitled "Hidden Hook Artificial Lure". The device includes a rattle that can double as a weight.
These prior art devices all relate to lures that contain rattle constructions. While each of these lures does provide a rattle capability, that capability cannot be quickly and easily changed from one lure to the next. In short, the fisherman must buy a separate lure having the rattle capability. This can be an advantage but it can also be a disadvantage. Sometimes the fisherman wants to try a particular lure with the noise making or rattle capability and sometimes the fisherman may want to try that same lure without the noisemaking feature.
The Plew and McClellan Pat. Nos. 3,935,660 and 3,848,353 respectively do provide rattle constructions that can be added to wire leaders and fishing line. However, they do not provide a means for quickly and easily adding the rattle to any type of lure which includes hook, wire leader, or wirelike portions, and wherein the rattle can be very quickly and easily removed and added to the lure with minimal time and effort.